Electrical connecter



April 26, 193s.

c. BARDWELL ELECTRICAL CONNECTER l Filed Dec, 2, 1936 gy', e7

- fnvenor, i ecl'l ardwell.

Patented Apg. 2s, 193s n y V I 2,115,324 t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.v 2,115,324

ELECTRICAL coNNEc'rEn Cecil Bardwcll, West Los Angeles, Calif., assignmto Motion Picture Electric Products, Los Angcles, Califl, a corporation of California Applicata@ December z, 193s, serial No. 113,809 10 Claims. (Cl. 113-4328) This invention relates to connecters for eleccally conductive material, and attached lto this trical conductors, an'd particularly to connecters plug, as by screw I4, is an insulating sleeve I5,

for electrical conductors carrying relatively heavy which extends somewhat beyond the rearward currents, as for example as used in connection end I6 of plug I3, as shown. Joint element I2 5 with motion picturestudio lamps. comprises a cylindrical metallic socket member g;4 It has been common to provide electrical con- I8, also preferably of brass, to which is attached, necters comprising a pair 'of interfltting parts, as by screw I9, an insulation sleeve 20 which one of which is siidable within the other, and extends rearwardly somewhat beyond therearwhich when fitted together form an electrical ward end 2l of the socket member as shown.l L connection. Connecters of this type as hereto- The outer or rearward ends of'plug member I3 10 fore known, howeveryare frequently either liable and socket member I8 are provided with sockets to be accidentally pulled apart, or are difficult to 23 and 24, respectively, to receive the terminals manipulate. of electrical conductors 25 and 26, which are sol- It is the purpose o the present invention to dered in place. l provide an electrical connecter adapted to be Plug I3 is provided at its forward end with a l5 connected and locked together by a very simple central cylindrical pin or tongue 30, which socket and convenient manipulation, and which' -likemember I8 has a central bore 36 adapted slidably wise may 'be disconnected by a simple reverse and rotatably to receive said pin or tongue. manipulation. f' Either the plug or socket member, as here illus- 2o A further object of the invention is to protratively shown, plug member I3, is provided at 20 lvide a connecter which is of a nature to insure its forward end with a semi-circular flange 3I` a substantial area of contact between the conwhich is annularly spaced from the tongue. The ductor portions of the Joint elements. outer surface of this flange 3l is concentric with A still further object of the Ainvention is to the axis of the plug, being preferably a continprovide a conductor whichisdurable, simple and uation of the outer cylindrical surface of the 25 relatively inexpensive to manufacture. plug. The inner surface 33 of flange 3|, however, Various additional objects and advantages ofis eccentric with reference to the plug axis, as my invention will appear from the following declearly appears from Fig` 5. This inner surface tained description of .present preferred embodi- 33 of vflange 3l is also conical shaped, as illusments thereof, reference for this purpose being trated, flange 3l vthus tapering in thickness from 30 had to the accompanying drawing, in which: its outer end toward its juncture with the body Fig. 1 shows the two joint elements in accordpart of the plug to provide a forwardly convergance with the present invention in position before ing inner engaging surface. being moved into connection, one of the joint The other joint member, asl here illustrated,

35 elements being -shown in partial section; socket member I8, has a semi-circular flange 31. 35

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of ne of the joint The outer peripheral surface 38 of flange 31 is elements; eccentric with reference to the axis of the Joint Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the other or element, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and is conicalv y complemental joint element; shaped, inclining outwardly or diverging towards 40 Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the joint its outer end. The inner surface 40 of flange 31' 40 elements moved together but before being twisted is a continuation of the central bore 36 of the into locking position; y socket. Flange 31 thus tapers in thickness from Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 5--5 of its outer end toward its juncture with the body- Fig- 4; portion of socket I8. As will be apparent from 45, Fig. 6 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 4 the drawing, the eccentricity and taper of flange 45 but showing the parts after having been twisted 31 are complementary to those of Aplug flange 3l.

into locking position; In connecting the joint-parts, they are slipped Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken 'on line together into the position shown in Figs.4 and 5, 1-1 of Fig. 6; and the socket flange -31 lying at the side of tongue Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 'Z but or pin 30 opposite that occupied by flange 3l. 50 showing a modified form ofthe invention. The thinner edge 42 of ange 31 isv then diS- The two joint elements of the connecter are posed opposite the wider opening between pin indicated in the drawing at II and I2. Joint 30 and plug flange 3|. 'The plug and socket are element Il comprises a cylindrical metallic plug then reiativelytwlsted. For instance, assume I3, preferably' of brass or other durable electrithat the plug is held stationary and the socket 55 mental eccentric flange faces 33 and 3,8 of the flangescoming into tight facial contact and be- 5`coming frictionally interlocked to resist accidental reverse rotation, and the flange parts then being in the overlapped position shown jin Figs. 6 and 7. Such engagement of the faces of course prevents the socket from being rotated too far in a right-handed direction. At the same time, the

complementary tapers ofthe two flanges prevent subsequent accidental longitudinal separation of the joint-parts.

To disconnect the connecter, it is merely necessary to rotate the joint parts in the opposite di-- rection and then pull them apart.

In Fig. 8 is shown a' modification, in which only one of the flanges, which. may be either of the two, though as here shown inner flange 31a, has

'20 an eccentric engaging face, indicated atv 38a, the

cooperating innerI surface 33a of the outer flange being formed concentric with the axis of the joint. Otherwise the parts are the same as in the previously described form. In this instance the same 25 locking effect is accomplished `in the same manner,

except that'the peripheral surfaces of the flanges do not contact throughout. 'I'here is thus lost some of the benefit of the large area of contact.

hadvwhen the connecter is made in the manner ilrst described, though the connecter in this form still has sufilcient area of contact for many purposes. This form has the advantage of greater ease of manufacture.

I have now described in detail certain specific forms of my invention; it is to .be understood, l however, that various changes in design, structure and arrangement may be made without departing from the ,spirit and scope of my invention or of the appended claims.

I' claim: g 1. An 'electrical connecter comprising plug and socket connecter members, each comprising an elongated metallic body portion adapted to have anv electrical conductor connected thereto, the forward end of said plugmember having a central projecting pin and the forward end of the socket member having a central cylindrical socket adapted to receive said pin, one of said connecter -members having extending from its forward end a substantially semi-circular flange spaced outside the pin and pin socket and provided withI an inner conical engaging face converging toward the forward end of the flange, the other of said connectermembers having extending from its for-` ward end a substantially semi-circular flange of smaller diameter disposed outside said pin and pin socket and` having an outerconical engaging face diverging toward the outer end of the flange complementarilyto the' conical engaging surface of the first mentioned flange, and adapted to be brought into engagement therewith, tby relative rotation of the connecter members after the pin has been inserted Pin the pin socket, with the flanges on opposite sides of the connecter, at least one of said engaging surfaces being eccentric to the axis of the pin and pin socket.

-2. An electrical connecter comprising-plug and socket connecter members, each comprising anelongated metallic body portion radapted to have an electrical conductor connected thereto, the forward end of said plug member having a central projecting pin-and the forward endl of thesocket member having a central cylindrical socket adapted to'rgcelve said pin, one of said 4connecter mem'- bers having extending from its 'forward end a substantiallyv semi-circular flange spaced outside the pin and pin socket and provided with an inner conical engaging face converging toward the forward end -of the ange, theother of said connecter members having` extending from -its vforward end a substantially semi-circular flange of smaller diameterdisposed outside said pin and pin socket and having an outer conical engaging -brought into engagement therewith by relative rotation of the connecter members after the4 pin has been inserted in the pin socket, with the flanges on opposite sides of theconnecter, one of said engaging' surfaces being eccentric to the axis of the pin and pin socket, and the other of said engaging Afaces being concentric with said axis. g

`3. An electrical'connecter comprising plug and socket connecter members, each comprising an elongated metallic body portion adapted to have an electrical conductor connected thereto, the forward end of said plug member Vhaving a cen-` tral projecting pin and the forward end of the socket member having a central cylindricalsocket adapted to receive said pin, one of said connecter members having extending from its forward end a substantially senil-circular flange spaced outside the pinand pin socket and provided with an inner conicalengaging face converging toward the for- -face diverging toward the outer* end of the flange l complementarily to the conical engaging surface ward end of the flange, the other of said connecter members having extending from its forward end a substantially semi-circular flange of smaller diameter disposed outside said pin and pin socket and having an outer conical engaging face diverging towardthe outer end of the flange complementarily'to the conical engagingsurface of the rst mentioned flange, andadapted to be brought into engagement therewith by relative rotation of the connecter members after the pin ward end of 'said plug member having a central A projecting pin and the forward end of the socket member having a central cylindrical socket adapted to receive said pin, one of said connecter members having extending from its forward end a substantially semi-circular flange spaced outside the pin and pin socket and provided with van inner conical engaging face converging toward the for-v ward end of' the flange, the other of said con`- necter members having extending from its forward end a substantially semi-circular flange of smaller diameter disposed outside said pin and pin socket and having an outer conical engaging face diverging toward the outer` end of the flange complementarily to the conical engaging surface ofl the firstA mentioned flange, and adapted to be brought into engagement therewith by relative rotation of the connectervmembers after the pin has been'inserted in the pin socket, with vthe socket connecter members, each comprising an -the inside surface of -which elongated metallic body portion adapted vto have an electrical conductor connected thereto, the forward end of said plug member having a central projecting pin and the forward end of the socket member havingf acentral cylindrical socket adapted to receive said pin, one of said connecter members having extending from its forward end a substantially senil-circular flange spaced outside the pin and pin socket and provided with an inner conical engaging -face converging toward the forward end of the ange,

the other of said connecter membersr having extending from its forward end a substantially semi-circular flange of smaller diameter disposed outside said pin and pin socket and having an outer conical engaging face diverging toward the outer end of the flange complementarily to the conical engaging surface of the first mentioned flange, and adapted to be brought into engage- I ment'therewith by relative rotation of the connecter members after the pin -has beeniinserted in the pin socket, with the flanges on opposite sides ofthe connecter, said engaging surfaces both being eccentric to the axis of the pin and pin.

socket, in such ianner as to become overlapped and frictionally interlocked in facial engagement with one another when the connecter-members are rotated about the axis of the pin and socket.

6. An electrical connecter comprisingplug and socket connecter members, each comprising an elongated metallic body portion adapted tohave an electrical vconductor connected thereto, the forward end of said plug member having a central projecting pin ,and the'forward end of the socket member having a central cylindrical socket adapted to receive said pin, said plug member having extending from its forward end a semicircular flange spaced outside the pin and provided with an inner conical engaging face converging toward the forward end of the flange,

inside engaging surface on the plug member.

flange and is adapted to engage with said corneal inside engagingsurface when the plug and socket members are relatively rotated after the pin on the plug member has been inserted in the socketin 'the' socket member with'the flanges on opposite sides .of the connecter, at least one of said engaging surfaces being eccentric to the axis of the pin and pin socket. ,c

'7. An electrical connecter comprising plug and socket connecter members, each comprising an elongated metallic body portion adapted to have an electrical conductor connected thereto, the forward' end of said plug member having a central projecting pin and the forwardfeind of the j ber having extending from its forward end a semicircular flange spaced outside the pin and provided with aninner conical engaging face converging toward the forward end of the flange, said socket member having extending from its forward end a substantially semi-circular ange,

is formed in continuation'of the pin, socket, and the outside surface of 'which' is conical `and diverges toward the outer end'of the flange complementarily to 'the conical inside engaging surface on the plug member flange and is adapted to engage with said y forward end of said plug member having a central projecting pin and the forward end of the socket member having a central cylindrical socket adapted to .receive said pin, said plug member having extending from its forward end a semicircular flange spaced outside the pin and provided with aninner conical engaging face converging toward the forward end of the flange,

said socket member having extending from its forward end a substantially senil-circular flange, the inside surface of which is formed in continuation of the pin socket, and the outside surface of which is conical and diverges toward the outer end of the flange complementarily to the conical inside engaging surface.. on the plug member flange and is adapted to engage with said conical inside engaging surface when the plug and socket members are relatively rotated after the pin on the plug member has been inserted in the socket in the socket member with the flanges on opposite sides of the connecter, the engaging surface on the inside flange being slightly eccentric to the axis of the pin and pin socket.

9. An electrical connecter comp elongated metallic body portion adapted to have an electrical conductor connected thereto, the forward end of saidvplug member lhaving a central projecting pin and the forward end of the socket member having a central cylindrical socket adapted to receive said pin, said plug member having extending from' its forward end a semicircular flange spaced outside the pin and provided with an inner conical engaging face converging toward the forward end of the flange, said and the other of said surfaces -an electrical conductor connected thereto, the

`ing plug and socket connecter members, each comprising-an A socket member having extending from its forward end a substantially semi-circular flange, the inside surface of which is formed in continuation of the pin socket, and the outsidesurface of which is conical and diverges toward the outer end of the flange complementarily to the conical inside engaging surface on the'plug member flange and is adapted to engage with said conical inside engaging surface when the plug and socket members are relatively rotated aftervthe pin on the plug member has been inserted in the socket in the socket member with the flanges on opposite sides of the connecter, the engaging surface on the inside flange being slightly eccentric to the axis.

of the pin and pin socket, andA the engaging' surface on the outside flange being concentric f with said axis. 1

10. An electrical connecter comprising plug and socket connecter members, each comprising an elongated metallic body portion adapted to have an electrical conductor connected thereto, the forward end of said plug member having a central projecting pin and the forward end ofthe socket member having a central cylindrical Asocket adapted to receive said pin, said plug member having `extending from its forward end a semicircular flange spaced outside the pin and pro.-

vided with an inner conical engaging face verging toward the forward end of the flange. said' socket member having extending from its forward end esvubstantially semi-circular flange, the inside surface' of which is formed in continuation of the pinl socket, and the outside surface of which is conical and diverges toward theouter end of the iiange complementarily to the conical inside engaging surface 'on the plug member iiange and is adapted to engage withsaid conical inside engaging surface when the plug and socket members ana-au l are relatively mafeg after the pmon the plm;v

member has been inserted in the socket in the socket member with the flanges on opposite sides .of -the connecter. said engaging'sln'faces both being eccentric to theaxis of the pin and pin socket. in auch manner as to become overlapped and frictionally interlock'ed in facial engagement y with one another when the connecter members are rotated about the axis ofthe Din andnsocket. n 

